Although I have spent this book ranting about supper, you may have noticed that, underneath it all, supper is not really the point. Supper is only the occasion, the excuse. The subject is actually family -- establishing, enjoying, and maintaining ties. The goal is creating and reinforcing a secure place for your loved ones in a society that can seem awfully uninterested in human needs.

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It's a simple ritual, but it has so many benefits.

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There's definitely an awareness that was not there a few years ago.

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The younger children are when you start this, the more it becomes part of what you do as a family. Over time, it becomes a haven within the family. The meal itself becomes symbolic of what a family does for its members: You nourish each other.

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